It cannot be denied that in ‘The Wide Sargasso Sea’, both Antoinette and Rochester struggle to find their own identities. Antoinette’s uncertainty is capture in her very name. Throughout the novel, she is given different names, for example, it is unclear as to whether her second name is Cosway, Mason or Rochester. To further the confusion, towards the end Rochester begins to refer to Antoinette as ‘Bertha’, making clear reference to her mother. However, Rochester is also unsure of his identity. It is apparent that he feels pressurised by his father and brother, and in his attempts to meet their expectations, he loses his identity. It is apparent that both characters believe that the other will aid them in the forming of an identity. Yet, Rochester description of Antoinette’s ‘alien eyes’ is typical of his attitude towards his wife. He is unwilling, and perhaps unable to co exist in the Jamaican community, with which he associates Antoinette. Markedly, this Jamaican community is equally hostile in its reaction to Antoinette. With the exception of Christophine and Sandi, the natives are unwelcoming to her. It is abundantly clear that they do not recognise her as a part of their world. To the reader it seems ironic that neither Antoinette nor Rochester is embraced by their own, yet nor can they recognise the other’s inability to conform.
Through the post colonialist ideas explored by Rhys one can infer the stark contrast of the differentiation evident between Rochester and Antoinette.
“I’ve heard English women call us white niggers…I often wonder who I am and where is my country and where do I belong and why was I ever born at all.”
Antoinette is a clearly confused character whose feelings constantly fluctuate, however one cannot deny that she is a Creole despite her feelings. Rochester is white English of the descent that has caused conflict throughout their ancestor’s lives. So why should this change for the sake of one relationship? Antoinette’s favourite picture is “The Miller’s Daughter” consisting of an English girl with brown curls and blue eyes, so this portrays a deeper love of English society which Antoinette has. One critic, Helen Tiffin claims analogies between the white female subjects are “ostensibly English or actually Creole” and so the history of the colonial oppression subjected by Rochester’s ancestors could be argued to be crude and overstated.
There is a clear imperial/colonial relation in the marriage of Rochester and Antoinette. She almost becomes Rochester’s prisoner in England as she is later needed to be restrained and loses all her friends. Metaphorically Antoinette is Rochester’s slave as she was taken for profit and was regarded to be almost exotic by her buyer. When considering rebellion she receives due punishment. However on being disregarded by Tia she shows her white emotions by dubbing her a “cheating nigger.” The significance of the red dress and its beauty portray the West Indian background of Antoinette and on Rochester taking this away he is taking a massive chunk of Antoinette’s character and her freedom with it as the characters once again collide.
Rochester fails to comprehend the culture of Jamaica; therefore to some extent his attitude towards it is understandable. This is exemplified at the beginning of part two, when Rochester encounters Emile and “The Young Bull.” Rochester is amazed that Emile is unsure of his own age, and as a result of such ignorance, as he perceives it, he condemns the characters as unworthy of his attention. Furthermore, this failure on Rochester’s part disables both Antoinette and himself to found a meaningful relationship. When Rochester learns of Antoinette’s request to Christophine rather than recognise the romance of the notion, he immediately attributes sinister intentions on Antoinette’s part.
The sustained differences between Antoinette and Rochester could lead the reader to define the characters’ relationship as an “encounter between two worlds.” A mutual comprehension between the two is clearly improbable, due to the reality that neither is able to understand or adapt to the others life. However, it is possible to reason that in fact the two are very similar, after all both are rejected by their own communities. In conclusion, one is unable to recognise Rochester and Antoinette as opposing entities, although their encounter provokes a highly volatile reaction. Rather, it is more accurate to interpret Antoinette and Rochester as representatives of the same ‘world’, individuals of the same circumstance, yet born into different cultures, tragically, however, the characters fail to recognise their undeniable bond.